I Dream Of Pizza » Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com
A Pizza Blog, Established In 2008Mon, 23 Feb 2015 05:46:35 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1Unveiling The Brand New IDreamOfPizza Logohttp://idreamofpizza.com/2015/02/annoucing-the-brand-new-idreamofpizza-l.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2015/02/annoucing-the-brand-new-idreamofpizza-l.html#commentsFri, 06 Feb 2015 07:38:42 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=15523Back in November of 2008, when I launched IDreamOfPizza, I had no expectations for what I wanted the blog to be. All I knew is that I loved pizza and writing and figured I’d combine the two and see what happens. Before I wrote a single post on the blog, I created a logo. I don’t remember the exact process I undertook, but it likely required little thought or effort. I wasn’t building a business or a pizza empire. So I didn’t really put much time into creating a brand identity. From what I recall, I simply Googled something along the lines of “delicious pizza” and saved the most delicious photo to my computer.

I opened the image in Photoshop and played around with some fonts and styles. What color should the site’s name be written in? Should it be IDreamOfPizza or I Dream Of Pizza? Here is a draft I still have on my computer dated 11/09/08 at 12:16AM.

Ultimately, I decided on a color that clashed a little less: black. And I used my limited photoshop skills to make the pizza look like it was dripping over the text.

And from November 2008 until July 2013 — almost five years — that was the logo on IDreamOfPizza. For the most part, the logo went relatively unnoticed. And by that I mean that I rarely received any comments or feedback about it. One memory that sticks out to me, even today, was being at the 2010 Village Voice Choice Eats and introducing myself to Motorino owner Mathieu Palombino. When I told him I ran IDreamOfPizza, he preceded to tell me how much he loved the logo and how hungry he would get upon seeing it.

In some other positive reinforcement, Pizza By Cer Te in Midtown, told me that they actually modeled a pizza photo shoot after my logo. The results can be seen below.

To tell you the truth, it always bothered me a little that I never knew what establishment the pizza in my logo was from. Heck, I didn’t even know what website the photo was originally pulled from. Those issues — combined with the growth of the site — ultimately led me to consider having a more professional logo created.

In July 2013, I began the painstaking process of converting this website from Blogger over to WordPress. And I figured that was as good of a time as ever to produce a new logo. But the new site was ready to go live before a new logo was ready. So I put up a “beta” logo that I only intended to leave up there for a short time period. Below are two “beta” logos that I created which didn’t make the cut, followed by the logo that has been on the website for the past 18 months.

Even these “beta” logos, like the original IDreamOfPizza logo, were created by myself in Photoshop. For a more permanent logo, I knew I needed to bring on somebody more professional. In early 2014, I was put in touch with the team at a company called Animation Domination High-Def (ADHD). They are the folks behind a block of cartoons at FOX. And they also happen to love pizza. Their social media icon, for example, is a slice of pizza. And they’ve created hundreds of pizza related images and animated GIFs, a sampling of which is below:

One thing led to another and the folks at ADHD offered to work on a new logo for IDreamOfPizza. And today I am excited to reveal the site’s new look.

Huge thanks to the folks at ADHD! I hope everyone enjoys the new logo!

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2015/02/annoucing-the-brand-new-idreamofpizza-l.html/feed1Pizza Bob’s: Hawaiian Pizza Failhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2014/10/pizza-bob.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/10/pizza-bob.html#commentsMon, 27 Oct 2014 09:15:06 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=15012I wouldn’t normally review a place like Pizza Bob’s. It’s an unassuming, un-tasty, nothing-to-write-home-about pizzeria on Oahu’s North Shore. But it was the only “Hawaiian” style pizza I had on a recent trip to Hawaii. Plus, from what I can tell, it’s the ONLY pizza place in the town of Haleiwa — a popular tourist destination.

If you’re visiting Haleiwa and are craving pizza… and are currently reading this post, do yourself a favor and suppress that craving. Or more specifically, spare yourself a visit to Pizza Bob’s (66-145 Kamehameha Highway).

My first pizza experience in Oahu was at Agostino’s in Waikiki. I didn’t love their pizza, but it was delicious compared with what we were served at Pizza Bob’s. How I ended up their in the first place is a bit of a story. My girlfriend and I spent two nights outside of Haleiwa and on our first night we had fantastic burgers at Kua-Aina (highly recommended!). Our second night there we were planning on going to Opal Thai — a very well regarded Thai restaurant in town. But when we arrived, there was a sign on the door that they were closed for summer vacation.

Now there aren’t a whole lot of dining establishments in Haleiwa and many of them close early. So our options were limited. Pizza Bob’s was right around the corner and with three stars on Yelp and a 6.1/10 rating on Foursquare, it seemed like a feasible option. The service was fine. And the atmosphere was decent (it was almost completely empty, although they have a nice outdoor seating area). Even the salad we had was enjoyable enough.

But the pizza… wow! The crust tasted like the dough was borrowed from Pizza Hut or Domino’s. The sauce was uninspiring. And the cheese was overwhelming. It was impossible to pick up a slice without a load of cheese sliding off of it. And if you managed to keep any cheese on the slice, it was as gooey as I’ve ever seen. This made for an overall unpleasant experience.

We ordered half the pie with pineapples, a topping I don’t usually condone putting on pizza. But we were in Hawaii. And I figured if not here… then where? The pineapple didn’t add much to the pie. There was so much cheese, honestly it was difficult to even taste the pineapple. If you glanced quickly at the photos above you probably didn’t even notice there was pineapple on the pies.

If you live in Haleiwa — or are visiting there for an extended period of time — I’m not really sure where you’ll find better pizza in the area. Maybe it’s worth making some at home. Or better yet, swing by Opal Thai when they are not closed for vacation and let me know how it is!

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/10/pizza-bob.html/feed1Pizzeria Picco: Well Worth The Drive Outside Of San Franhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2014/07/pizzeria-picco.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/07/pizzeria-picco.html#commentsWed, 16 Jul 2014 17:13:09 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=14955I spent the summer of 2012 living in San Francisco and had the opportunity to visit many notable pizza spots in Bay Area while I was out there including Little Star, Liguria Bakery, Cheese Board and perhaps my favorite, Arinell Pizza. One place I didn’t get to cross of my list was the highly regarded Pizzeria Picco (316 Magnolia Avenue) in Larkspur, California — a 45 minute drive north of San Francisco. I recently spent a couple of days in San Francisco and Pizzeria Picco was at the very top of my hit-list. I drove there right from the airport for a late Sunday afternoon lunch.

The first thing you’ll notice when you arrive at the restaurant is that it’s small. Very small. In fact the only seats inside are at a bar. And there are only about 10 stools. Outside, under an awning there are 7 tables. The restaurant utilizes the outdoor space all year around (in the winter time, even though it doesn’t get that cold, the outdoor space is enclosed). With a capacity of just about 35 people, the prime time waits can be gruesome. Which is why Pizzeria Picco not only offers take-out pizza, but also sells frozen versions of some of their pies which can be heated up at home. Although I didn’t try any of those, I was told that they are all made fresh daily and vacuum sealed.

In addition to pizza (about 10 pies on the menu + a daily special), Pizzeria Picco also serves a selection of soups, appetizers, and ice cream — the latter of which was quite popular on the warm afternoon I was there. I grabbed one of the bar stools inside and while all the tables outside were full, there wasn’t a wait.

I order two pies: a “Son Of Yeti” (hen of the woods mushroom, leeks, thyme, fresh garlic, mozzarella, pecorino, parmesan) and a nameless special pie that contained asparagus, smoked mozzarella, arugula, pesto, roasted garlic, shaved Parmesan, and Calabrian chili oil (I ordered it without sopressata and they threw on extra asparagus). What I really, really liked about the special pie was rather than large chunks of asparagus the pie contained tiny slices. You don’t see asparagus on pizza often, but I’m convinced that this is the form in which is should appear. It complimented all of the other ingredients very well. The pesto and arugula added two light, springtime elements, the oil added a kick, and the mozzarella, parm, and garlic created the base of the pie’s flavors. It was solid on all fronts.

The second pie I had was equally delicious. Rather than raw or partially cooked whole mushroom slices, which you’ll typically see on pizza, this pie had “hen of the woods” mushrooms. This type of mushroom is usually a more expensive breed and I would describe its caps as thick mushroom shavings when they are removed and applied to the pie. It a refreshing take on the mushroom pie and I wish more pizzerias experimented with different types of mushrooms.

Other than the marinara pie, pizzas ranged from $14-$18 — pretty reasonable considering not only the quality, but also the size. They’re personal pies, but three people could certainly split two — especially if you’re indulging in dessert. The restaurant is situated on the southern end of Magnolia Avenue, Larkspur’s main commercial street — so there are some cool shops and galleries you can check out while you’re in town (or waiting for a table!). Affordable pies, with creative high-quality topping combinations, and good service is a winning combination. Pay a visit to Pizzeria Picco and see for yourself.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/07/pizzeria-picco.html/feed1Family Friendly Time At Remo’s Pizza In Stamford, CThttp://idreamofpizza.com/2014/02/family-friendly-time-at-remo.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/02/family-friendly-time-at-remo.html#commentsTue, 18 Feb 2014 09:11:57 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2905I recently took a trip up to Stamford, Connecticut to try Colony Grill’s famous pies. And while I was in town I decided to stop by another place too. Remo’s Pizza (35 Bedford Street) in the downtown area came recommended by our friends who live in Stamford. It opened in 2006 — so it’s not quite as old as Colony which opened in 1935 — but the influence is evident, most notably in Remo’s hot oil pie. You see, Colony’s signature pie is its hot oil pizza and I’d like to think that Remo’s is paying tribute to it by featuring one of their own on the menu.

While Colony’s menu is as simple as it comes — 12-inch pies with 12 topping choices — Remo’s complicates things. The pizza menu is divided into two sections. There are 11 “Brick Oven Pies” that are 12 inches and come in “Napoletana” style or “New York” style. The menu notes that Napoletana style means that you’ll get fresh mozzarella and basil on your pie. If you want a 16-inch pie you can add $5.00. Oh and all of the Napoletana pies are $1.00 more than New York pies. So far so good? Good.

Well below the “Brick Oven Pies” section there is another section of pies called “Remo’s Gourmet Pies.” There are seven pies listed and each of these also come in ”Napoletana” style or “New York” style and the menu lists out prices for 12-inch pies and 16-inch pies. All of the 16-inch pies except for one though, happen to be $5.00 more expensive than the 12-inch pies. And there is no difference in price whether you want a Napoletana or New York pie. AND there is nothing “Gourmet” about the pies in this section. Confused yet?

So let’s say you want a 16-inch “Chicken Parm Pie” Napoletana pie (with chicken, mozzarella, and sauce) — where on the menu do you think that would be? It’s under the “Brick Oven Section” and you must add $5.00 because only the 12-inch pie (for $13.95) is actually listed on the menu. What if, however, you want a 16-inch “Salad Pie” New York pie (mixed greens, tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella)? Well that’s listed under “Gourmet” pies. And the price of the 16-inch pie is listed on the menu (you don’t have to do any math!). It’s $18.95. But wait, can you even get the “Salad Pie” in the “New York” style? I mean, fresh mozzarella is one of the basic ingredients, so would they substitute that out?

The point of all of this to let you know that the menu at Colony and the menu at Remo’s couldn’t be more different from one another. In fact, Remo’s has one of the most confusing pizza menus I’ve ever seen!

We ended up ordering a 12-inch “New York Style” hot oil pie and a 12-inch “Napolatana Style” margherita pie (which, to add insult to injury, is listed along with a notation which states only on Napoletana style pizza).

I liked the pizza. It wasn’t great, but it was certainly sufficient. And at $9.50 and $8.95 respectively, it makes you appreciate non-New York City food prices. The hot oil pie was not as good as at Colony, but if I weren’t comparing it to that, I might think more highly of it. The Margherita pie was standard and came heavy on the sauce, light on the cheese.

Remo’s has a laid back vibe. There is a bar, but also a few dozen tables and some outdoor seating. There were a lot of families there too. It’s a very neighborhood-y place and was pretty crowded even though we were there during an off time on a Saturday afternoon. If I lived around the corner, I’d hit it up every now and then. But it certainly doesn’t warrant a trip out to Stamford solely to dine there.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/02/family-friendly-time-at-remo.html/feed0Colony Grill: Hot Oil Pies In Stamford, CThttp://idreamofpizza.com/2014/02/colony-grill.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/02/colony-grill.html#commentsMon, 03 Feb 2014 09:01:34 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2897I always enjoy a little spice on my pizza whether it be jalapenos, red peppers, or the hot honey at Paulie Gee’s in Greenpoint. That list now also includes the hot oil pizza from Colony Grill (172 Myrtle Avenue) in Stamford, Connecticut. I’d had pizza from Colony before, but this fall I thought it was about time I paid a visit to the actual establishment. Only 45 minutes from NYC, a meal there is certainly doable with a 3-4 hour Zipcar rental. And worth the trip.

Colony has been around since 1935 and they keep things simple. Very simple. They serve thin crust 12-inch bar style pies for $9.00 and you can add a topping for $1.50. There are 12 toppings to choose from — all the standards — including mushrooms, onions, pepperoini, sausage, and peppers. But one topping you must try is their signature hot oil. If you’re one of those people who pat down your pizza with napkins, this isn’t for you. But short of that, it’s something that you will most definitely enjoy. It gives every bite a kick — not so much so that you need to wash it down with water — but enough so that it elicits a fun sensation in your mouth.

To be honest, on the afternoon I was there, the oil did not appear to be as “hot” as I’d previously experienced. I’m not sure if there was any rhyme or reason to that, but it’s possible that there are some inconsistencies to level of heat. We also got a half plain / half pepperoni pie which was good, but the action is really all with the hot oil.

The pies are essentially personal, although three will probably suffice for a party of four. The prices are to die for and they even have a delicious local beer on tap from Half Full Brewery (full disclosure: a friend owns the brewery — and all their beers are GREAT!). In fact I can’t think of a better day trip than a trip to Colony and drinks at Half Full.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2014/02/colony-grill.html/feed1The Backspace: More Than Just BBQ In Austinhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2013/12/the-backspace.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/12/the-backspace.html#commentsMon, 23 Dec 2013 09:38:06 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2770This fall I made my first trip to Austin, Texas — one of the better food cities in the United States. One thing that Austin is not known for? Pizza.

I was down there partially to cover Pizza Hut’s launch of their new 3 Cheese Stuffed Pizza, but was certainly not going to make that the only pizza I had during my trip. So on a Friday evening around 6:00PM some friends and I stopped by The Backspace (507 San Jacinto Boulevard) based on their recommendation. The nondescript place is located right in the heart of Austin — about 30 steps from the main drag of loud and boisterous bars on Sixth Street — however in terms of ambiance it couldn’t have been more different.

The first thing you’ll notice when you step inside is that the restaurant is very small — 30 seats to be exact. And while they do take reservations, according to their website tables can only be reserved for 75 minutes (the menu is even less generous noting that “we reserve our tables for about an hour”). I’ve never seen a restaurant publish a maximum table limit! Truth be told, the service was good and the pies come out in a matter of minutes, so any party that is there beyond that time frame is probably lingering a bit too long. The inside is almost as bear as the facade. There are wooden tables along with wooden booths and chairs, a few bar stools, some exposed brick, and low lighting. You don’t feel like you’re around the corner from establishments like The Dizzy Rooster, Blind Pig Pub, Buckshots, and Bikinis Sports Bar & Grill (note: these are all actual establishments around the corner!).

There are about a dozen appetizers (antipasti) on the menu, along with some shared plates like cheeseboards, but we went right for the pizza. The menu changes a seasonally, but when I was there there were six pies available: marinara, margherita, fennel sausage, pepperoni americano, and bianca. In keeping with the theme of simplicity, none of the pies are too complex. They all contain either three or four ingredients. In fact, there are only 14 ingredients in total — and that includes items like thyme, garlic, and basil. You can also add prosciutto or a baked egg to any pie for an additional charge. Pies top out at a very reasonable $15.

We opted for one Margherita and one Fennel Sausage. Both were delicious. They were generous with the ingredients and the puffy crust was on par with some of the better Neapolitan pies I’ve had. Again, The Backspace keeps things simple and because they only serve six pies, they are able to focus on making each of the great.

If you only have a couple of days to visit Austin, you shouldn’t get pizza. Your time should be spent eating barbecue (Franklin’s), tacos (Tacodeli) and checking out some of the hundreds of food truck around town. But if you live in Austin — or are spending an extended period of time there — you have a venerable pizza place to hit up. Austin is not synonymous with pizza, as it is with some other cuisines, but it’s good to know that a solid, simple Neapolitan style pie can be found right in the heart of the city.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/12/the-backspace.html/feed293Happy 5 Year Anniversary To IDreamOfPizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/2013/11/happy-5-year-anniversary-to-idreamofpiz.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/11/happy-5-year-anniversary-to-idreamofpiz.html#commentsThu, 14 Nov 2013 17:33:40 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2863This week marks five years since I launched IDreamOfPizza. It’s crazy to think that I’ve been blogging about pizza for so long. It all started on Monday, November 10, 2008 with an unassuming post about a pizza eating contest:

Needless to say, it’s been all uphill since then! When I reflect on the last five years there are so many highlights that come to mind. First off, I don’t think this blog would exist without the strong New York City pizza community. That starts with Adam who founded Slice (which turned 10 last month!), Scott from Scott’s Pizza Tours (who has probably instilled NYC with more pizza knowledge than anyone ever has), Brooks (aka Pizza Commander) who has allegedly been making a movie about pizza since we first met, and dozens of other pizza aficionados (see: Passion 4 Pizza, The ‘Za Report, For The Love Of Pizza, 31 Days Of Pizza, Pizza Rules).

I attribute much of the success of IDreamOfPizza to being at the right place at the right time. This blog preceded the opening of what are today considered many of New York’s best pizza places. Just months after IDreamOfPizza launched, New York City underwent a pizza boom. Blame it on the recession or many other factors, but the past five years have brought us spots like Motorino, Paulie Gee’s, Co, Keste, Roberta’s, Rubirosa, Forcella, and Artichoke. It’s hard to think about the New York City pizza scene without these places.

Thank you to everyone who has been involved with and participated in the NYC Pizza Run. Arguably more successful than IDreamOfPizza itself (did you know that The NYC Pizza Run has more Facebook fans than IDreamOfPizza — you should do something about that right now!), I never imagined that New Yorkers would be so excited about running and eating pizza when I launched the event back in 2010.

Thank you to all of the press that has been kind enough to feature IDreamOfPizza in their publications — including The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and New York Post. It’s not something I spend much time thinking about, but it’s always nice to be recognized by media outlets.

Thanks to my friends, without whom I’d be eating pizza alone. From Pizza Club outings to day trips to New Haven and Jersey, it’s never been hard to find someone to join me for a slice or two.

I’ll leave you with a few photos that I’ve taken with friends at some pizza places over the past five years. Here’s to another five years of pizza!

Roberta’s. Brooklyn, New York.

Di Fara. Brooklyn, NY.

Sam’s. Brooklyn, NY.

Totonno’s. Brooklyn, NY.

Sally’s. New Haven, CT.

Luna D’Autunno. Hoi An, Vietnam.

Paulie Gee’s. Brooklyn, NY.

Barboncino. Brooklyn, NY.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/11/happy-5-year-anniversary-to-idreamofpiz.html/feed80A Case Study Of Jack Dorsey And His Pizza Love Affairhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2013/10/a-case-study-of-jack-dorsey-and-his-love.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/10/a-case-study-of-jack-dorsey-and-his-love.html#commentsTue, 01 Oct 2013 09:16:14 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2530Technology has always played a very important role in my life. In fact, I Dream Of Pizza would not exist today had it not been for digital innovations that took place in the early 2000s — the proliferation of blogging platforms, social media, smartphones, etc. I believe that one of technology’s most important visionaries is Jack Dorsey (known to many simply as @jack). Dorsey founded not one, but two companies that are each worth billions of dollars and will likely IPO in the coming years. Twitter launched in 2006 and Square, a mobile payments company, followed three years later. I believe that one of Dorsey’s greatest assets is his ability to understand the user experience and oversee the creation of simple, intuitive products and platforms. His success has been well documented in hundreds of interviews he has granted in recent years, perhaps none more notable than a segment on 60 Minutes which ran this past spring. But what I only found out recently was the role that pizza has played in Dorsey’s life.

During a recent keynote at Columbia University, Dorsey speaks about the influence that his parents had on him. His father, when he was 19 years old, decided he wanted to start a pizza restaurant because he loved making pizza. Along with his best friend Ron, they opened a place and it started doing well. “My father’s pizza was an all meat pizza,” explains Dorsey, only half jokingly. “I don’t think it had cheese or sauce on it.” The company started doing so well, they needed to hire people and they made a rule that they would not date the waitstaff. The first person who they hired, as it turns out, ended up becoming Dorsey’s mother. His father left the business soon after, but Dorsey explains in his keynote that this story — and his father’s entrepreneurial endeavors — had a strong influence on him.

Dorsey has racked up more than 14,000 tweets since Twitter launched 7 1/2 years ago (that’s a modest five tweets per day, if you’re counting). And a frequent topic over the years has been his passion for pizza, something that certainly was inherited from his father. Dorsey’s first ever pizza-related tweet went out to the world on April 8, 2006 — just two weeks after Twitter launched. To give you a sense of how early on this was in Twitter’s existence — the post got 14 retweets and 1 favorite. Pauline’s, by the way, is a staple in San Francisco’s Mission District. I ate there last summer while living in San Francisco and it was great.

Dorsey grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, so it only makes sense that he’s tweeted about Imo’s more than any other spot. It was first mentioned in December 2012, accompanied with a TwitPic.

Imo’s opened its first shop in St. Louis in 1964 — about a decade before Dorsey’s father opened his pizzeria. Now Imo’s has about 100 locations in the Greater St. Louis area. It seems like it’s a necessary stop when Dorsey is back home. A select tweet from four years later reads:

While Imo’s might be Dorsey’s preferred spot back home, San Francisco’s Pizzetta 211 is his favorite spot where he currently resides according to a tweet from earlier this year:

He’s presumably eaten there multiple times including in July 2012, when he tweeted this photo of the spot.

Domino’s Pizza recently launched a new commercial which seems to catch my eye whenever it is on television. The motto: Powered By Pizza. The commercial starts out as follows: we know that Americans order pizza when they’re building, creating and innovating. And although I imagine (and hope!) Domino’s is off limits in the Twitter and Square offices, I can only begin to imagine how much Dorsey has accomplished over a slice of pizza. Some my favorite Dorsey tweets about pizza involve what is being ordered at the office.

Although much of Dorsey’s love affair with pizza can be pieced together via a quick search through his Twitter history, as I’ve done above, I would love to chat with Dorsey in more detail about the role that pizza has played in his life and why pizza lends itself to fostering innovation. So @jack, if you happen to read this, let’s grab a slice!

Cover photo courtesy of Nick Bilton/The New York Times

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/10/a-case-study-of-jack-dorsey-and-his-love.html/feed27Nice Slice: Creative Pizza & Funky Art In Providence, RIhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2013/09/nice-slice.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/09/nice-slice.html#commentsTue, 17 Sep 2013 05:15:05 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=2283I recently returned from a road trip to New England and the first night of my trip was spent in Providence, Rhode Island. The area of town near Brown and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) has a collegiate feel to it, even during the summer. The campuses were bustling with tour groups and students who were partaking in summer programs. And the coffee shops and clothing stores along Thayer Street, while not packed, were receiving some traffic.

Because of RISD, I’ve always associated Providence with art, but I’ve never thought of it as a city with a strong food scene. Nevertheless, the city has garnered a couple of accolades that have piqued my curiosity in recent years. In particular, Travel + Leisure just named Providence the third best city for foodies the United States. So as I set out to explore Providence for the day, I had expectations of seeing some cool art and eating some good food. As luck would have it, I was able to accomplish both in one spot: Nice Slice (267 Thayer Street).

If I were a student at Brown, Nice Slice would be my late night go-to spot for pizza. The moment you step inside, it feels different that any other pizza place. The first thing you’ll notice is all of the art. From wall murals and graffiti to the table and chair decorations, Nice Slice aims to create a laid back vibe inspired by its design. The Nice Slice website notes that it serves pizza to “all the skaters, students, hipsters, vegetarians, vegans, intellectuals, and pseudo-intellectuals,” and its motto is W.O.M.P (Word Of Mouth Pizza). Whether you want to call it a theme, atmosphere, or just a way of life — Nice Slice encompasses a DIY (that’s do-it-yourself) attitude. Heck, they even have a mission: To Serve You Pizza and preserve Thayer St’s status as a haven for intellects and counter-cultural weirdos.

After taking in all of the art (it’s amazing what can be done in such a small space), I shifted my focus to the pizza. It’s not surprising that the ethos of this type of place would be evident by its offerings. There is a full vegan menu with pies like Vegan BBQ Chicken. And 10 inch personal gluten free pies can be made to order and contain rice flour, tapioca flour, water, potato flour, olive oil, sugar, yeast, and salt. No matter what part of the menu you’re ordering from, you can expect funky names and topping combinations like the Cranberry Picnic (dried cranberries, sliced almonds, baby spinach, mozzarella & cheddar blend) and Parallel Universe (ricotta, bacon, scallion, black pepper, olive oil, mozzarella & cheddar cheese).

I kept things relatively simple and opted for two slices: Pesto W/ Tomato (basil pesto, plum tomatoes, mozzarella & cheddar cheese) and Margherita (fresh mozzarella ‘fior di latte’, fresh basil, mozzarella & cheddar blend). Regular slices are $2.25 and specialty slices top out at $3.25. I really liked them both. I’m not sure they stack up to a New York slice joint, but that’s not at all what Nice Slice is trying to be. They’ve succeeded at being a funky and creative college hangout with good food. I wouldn’t venture across town for their pizza, but it’s the kind of place every college student at Brown and RISD should be hitting up after a couple of Saturday night drinks. There are enough topping combinations that it could take a semester’s worth of visits to try them all.

]]>http://idreamofpizza.com/2013/09/nice-slice.html/feed11Stick To The Pastries At BarcelonaReykjavik Bakery In Spainhttp://idreamofpizza.com/2011/06/stick-to-pastries-at-barcelonareykjavik.html
http://idreamofpizza.com/2011/06/stick-to-pastries-at-barcelonareykjavik.html#commentsFri, 03 Jun 2011 13:44:00 +0000I Dream Of Pizzahttp://idreamofpizza.com/?p=159After spending a week in Italy on a pizza adventure this winter, I headed to Barcelona for a few nights to meet a friend of mine who is currently working near there. Although I had intentions of at least trying some pizza in Barcelona, it wasn’t the primary purpose of my trip. To be honest, after trying nine pizza places in Naples and Rome, I was ready for a bit of a pizza respite. Plus, Barcelona is known for it’s eclectic mix of cuisines, not one of which is pizza.

I made it through the first few days of my trip without thinking about pizza. I’d had excellent meals at spots like Taller De Tapas and felt no need to work some pizza into my diet. But on our third day there, we wandered into a bakery just off Las Ramblas. We weren’t even particularly hungry, but the smell of fresh baked goods lured us in. The name of the bakery was the not-so-easily-pronounceable BarcelonaReykjavik (12, Carrer del Doctor Dou, 34-93-3020-921).

It was still pretty early in the morning and my eyes were immediately drawn to the fresh brioche buns, cinnamon roles, chocolate croissants, and assortment of other pastries. Everything is made in-house and is about as fresh as it gets.

Among all of these baked goods, however, I noticed a tray of somewhat neglected pizza-like treats. The small, disc-shaped breads were covered with cheese, sauce, spices, and toppings. Sounds like pizza to me! I ordered one with olives and it was put back in the oven to be reheated. When I bit into the pizza, however, it was still just lukewarm. It could have definitely benefited from a few more minutes in the oven. Although it had probably only been sitting out for a few hours, it didn’t taste as fresh as the pastries I tried.

I suppose since BarcelonaReykjavik isn’t a pizza place, they’re not selling their pizzas as frequently as other items. I still thought their pizza had potential though — you can tell from the moment you walk in that the place focuses on producing fresh, high quality baked goods. My advice though: stick to the pastries.